We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Valerie Gettings a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Valerie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

When I moved to Arizona, fresh out of medical school, knowing very few people, I had several interviews with other clinics hoping I would fit myself into someone else’s dream. With each opportunity, I felt like I just kept hitting wall after wall of obstacles and other clinics being in a state of flux to the point I couldn’t join or finding out it wasn’t the right fit.

During one phone call with a clinic owner, she flat out said to me, “STOP trying to fit yourself into other people’s clinics and start your own.” This was the second time I received this message.

Ok, that was it! I figured out the steps I needed to start a business in Arizona and I stayed true to my WHY.

I believe that when women have their health, they can improve their own lives, the lives of their families, communities, and the planet as a whole.

The main steps I had to take to set up my own business were: finding a business name, securing a website, registering my business in Arizona, setting up my tax license, finding a space, and getting insurance to name a few.

Some of the key challenges to setting up my business was signing up for a lot of things I didn’t actually need. For instance, I didn’t need a large account with a hospital supply company, an account with an IV company, etc.

Knowing what I know now, I would have just waited to see what other assets I needed as I grew. Sometimes you may think you need to have everything on board to start your business, but that is not actually true.

Sometimes you just need your business name, a great bio, a one page website about who you are, and the curiosity and drive to talk to others passionately about what you do.

If you are considering taking the leap and starting your own business, I would recommend keeping it simple. First, find out if you are a great employee or an entrepreneur. There are tests like the Kolbe Index, CliftonStrengths test, and others that can tell you if you are a quick start or how you best operate. While being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, it will save you a lot of time if you figure out that piece first.

Second, don’t quit your day job just yet. You can start building a company while you are working for another company. This will help with start up costs while you figure out your dream. There are also great loans available from places like BMO (Bank of Montreal), who help fund small businesses.

Third, get a business mentor and join a local networking group. This will help to guide you and get you connected to others who are also running their own businesses. It can seem lonely when you are the sole business owner and your family and friends may not understand what you do.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Dr. Valerie Gettings, a licensed naturopathic doctor in Scottsdale, AZ, where I help high-performing women with gut and thyroid issues go from tired and bloated to energized and focused so they can crush their to-do list.

I got into naturopathic medicine through my own health journey where I overcame epilepsy with the help of a traditional naturopath and the support of my neurologist and healthcare team. I was then inspired to become a naturopathic doctor.

What sets me apart from other doctors is that I treat the person sitting in front of me by creating custom healthcare plans for them to treat the root cause of their condition. I listen to what they are experiencing and we work together to create a plan that will work for them.

I am the most proud of my patients’ success stories. To watch them go from sick, frustrated, and confused from information overwhelm, to healthy, thriving, and making a difference in the lives of others and in their communities is so beautiful to watch and be a part of. It’s an honor to be a partner in health along their journey.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would choose the same profession and specialty all over again. I know I chose a challenging profession but I am grateful to be able to provide integrative care to patients who would otherwise not have any answers to their health conditions.

Often I am treating chronic conditions like autoimmune, long-standing gut issues, and years of stress that do not fit well into a conventional 15 minute appointment. I am glad I have the time with my patients (the visits are each an hour) to find the cause of what is going on with their health issues, find solutions, and refer when necessary.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Initially I thought that the bulk of a patient’s story (or customer’s story perhaps in your case) happened at the first two or three meetings with them when in fact, you need to continue the conversation with them to help you shape your business.

John Berardi, PhD, does a great job outlining this in his book, Change Maker, where he says that you need to keep getting feedback from your patients or customers to really know what to create for them. What are they wanting support with? What can you build in your business to support them?

How I adapted this to my patients is that I get their story, create a plan for them based on their health conditions, and then continue to follow up weekly with them as to what support they need.

I also switched my AI scribe system to one I feel confident relying on to be able to fully listen to my patients no matter how fast they talk, to capture everything accurately. This allows me to be present with them and ask them questions much faster than I would be able to otherwise if I was just typing or writing everything out. This means we can get through more in a visit.

This method of building a business around your patients or customers needs allows you to create an effective business since it’s exactly what your customers want. It also takes the guesswork out of just guessing what they want, which can waste a lot of time and resources. Asking them directly is key! It’s the most helpful lesson I learned.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drvaleriegettings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvaleriegettings/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrValerieGettings
• Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/valerie-gettings-07277541

Image Credits

Photos by Erica + Jon